Samsung May Put Security Chips in Phone Batteries, Report Says

The Elec reported that the chip will appear in batteries inside upcoming mid-range phones, including models in the Galaxy A series. The outlet did not say how the chips would work, but speculated that Samsung could use them as part of safety measures. In that reading, a verified battery would tell a consumer that the cell had been tested and meets Samsung's performance and safety standards.

The Elec also suggested the chips could play a role in recycling. A verified battery would in theory carry reliable information about its manufacturer, how it had been used and other related details, which recyclers could use to pick the correct or most efficient method for handling it.

Asked about the verified batteries, a Samsung official told The Elec, "We cannot confirm the direction of technology development for next-generation products."

Apple has long run a verification program for iPhone batteries that lets users check whether the battery in a phone is genuine, and it introduced both battery verification and a parts pairing practice years before the reported Samsung plan. Parts pairing pushed consumers to buy replacement components, batteries included, from Apple itself or from authorized repairers, and it made DIY repairs harder because only Apple and its authorized partners could verify replacement parts. Apple now offers a Repair Assistant tool for DIY repairs.

Android Authority, which reported on The Elec's story, said it hopes Samsung does not take the same route with future Galaxy phones. The report leaves open when the chips would ship, which specific models would carry them and whether a phone would refuse to work with a battery that lacks the chip.